University of Wisconsin President Ray Cross on Tuesday asked the Legislature's budget-writing committee to approve a new public authority for the UW System, a "dedicated and stable funding stream" and to reduce the governor's proposed $300 million budget cut over the next two years.

Shortly after he finished his testimony, a handful of protesters burst into the room shouting, "No cuts, no deals." Followed by four Capitol police officers, the protesters marched past the table where Cross was sitting to give testimony before the Joint Committee on Finance.

If Park Bank is liable for not spotting Sujata "Sue" Sachdeva's $34 million embezzlement from Koss Corp. and has to reimburse the company, Koss Chief Executive Michael Koss should also be ordered to personally pay the public company he runs, the bank argues in a new lawsuit.

Grant Thornton, Koss Corp.'s former auditor, should also have to pay a portion of any award that may be ordered, Park Bank argued in the latest twist in a long-running court fight stemming from Sachdeva's massive embezzlement.

"Park Bank denies any and all liability to Koss in this case," the bank said in its action. "Nevertheless, should Park Bank be found liable to Koss (Corp.) and required to pay damages to Koss, in this case, those damages will have been the result of a common liability of Park Bank, Michael Koss and Grant Thornton, thereby entitling Park Bank to (a) contribution from Michael Koss and Grant Thornton."(3)

Tip time: Sanders, Asik take center stage

Before the season started, who would have guessed we would be talking about a matchup between centers Larry Sanders and Omer Asik.

But it's an intriguing battle between two players being mentioned as Most Improved Player candidates, the Bucks' Sanders and Houston Rockets' Asik.

Asik, the 7-foot Turkish player who signed as a free agent with Houston, is averaging 10.8 points and 11.7 rebounds. He ranks fifth in the league in rebounds and already has 18 games of 10 points or more, after having just six such games in two seasons with the Chicago Bulls.

"He rebounds it; he's a great screener," said Bucks coach Scott Skiles. "He dives to the front of the rim. He's got good hands. He's improved his free throw percentage."

Asik is benefiting from the backcourt duo of James Harden and Jeremy Lin, much as Sanders has been helped by Brandon Jennings and Monta Ellis.

"On their team, if you dive to the front of the rim and you're alert and ready, you get balls," Skiles said. "Either they shoot layups and you're there for tip-ins, or they drop you the ball. He's become very, very good at finding the areas in there, and Larry's gotten much better at that.

"But a big part of that game will be can we defend that guy diving to the rim and still get out to the shooters."

Sanders ranks 21st in the league in rebounding and leads the Bucks with 8.4 per game. And he ranks second in the league in blocks at 3.0 per game.

Sanders has blocked at least one shot in 17 straight games, tying with Oklahoma City's Serge Ibaka for the second-longest active streak in the league. Earlier this season Sanders posted his first triple-double and tied Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's franchise record for most blocks in a game with 10 (at Minnesota on Nov. 30).